You can buy a CO2 detector they are cheap, like 5 bucks. they use them in small airplane cockpits. cause the heat runs off exhaust gases... anyways, they are little cardboard squars with a fabaric disk that chances colors if any CO2 is present. I bet you can find one online, maybe even ebay, they are CHEAP. if theres a local airport near you im sure a pilot shop would have them but thats kinda outa the way.

CO2 will give you symptoms you describe, it can also make you sleepy.

 

I had several fume issues with my first 944. There were two issues:

1. The aforementioned charcoal canister. My extremely adept mechanic suggested this and it immediately fixed the major issue.

2. The rear hatch seal, but somewhat counter intuitively it was the seal at the top of the glass where it meets the roof. I had noticed that the one or two times I had the sunroof open the fumes were worse. Some type of convection effect was drawing fumey air up the roofline.

 

First, check your exhaust for leaks- go right for the source of the fumes.
Next, check the hatch fitment.
Next, check that you have grommets in the spare tire well drains.
Next, make sure you don't have a bad cat. You'll smell it no matter how well (relatively) your car is sealed.

In order of expense.

 

I got some rolls of foam tape today and put it allound the frame of the hatch so it makes a tighter fit to the body, but I could not get it all around. there is not enough space at the top of the hatch to apply the foam tape, unless you remove the hatch but I don't want to remove it. Also it's pretty hard to put foam tape where the hatch pins are located, that may be where it is leaking.

I might try taping the top of the hatch with black duct tape from the inside but then I'd have to remove the duct tape to open the hatch (which i never use) but that would be my last option, I'm not sure if it leak from the top, I just know that the glass is separating at the top.

I had this same problem with my old 924 and I'm pretty sure it was the hatch, I tried everything to seal the hatch but none worked., it's really hard to get it to seal airtight all around.

I'll also try duct taping those drain holes in the hatch (not sure what else to use). but I also did that on my old car with no luck.

I will eventually get the hatch resealed and refitted but for now if it is the hatch I don't want to die fro CO poisoning.


other possibility would be that it is coming in from the vents but that is unlikely , my exhaust is very quiety and doesn't look like it is leaking. The exhaust on the 924 was also not leaking, I got it checked by a shop.

 

also about the charcoal canister, how can this cause fumes to come inside the cabin? There is not strong smell that I can smell inside the carso it's most likley exhaust fumes.

 

I quit eating taco bell. Worked for me!

 

yeah I had tacos after work today maybe I should stop that.....

but seriously getting high/ dizzy off CO sucks when driving , I don't feel it until I step out of the car and then I feel dizzy with a headache. I have a digital carbon monoxide detector I used on my other car and on my other car it would read up to 70 ppm inside the car with the window shut when idling and when driving.

 

i think the foam tape will make it worse.

that will gather moisture and increase the chances of mold or mildew. that will surely give you a headache. there were a lot of studies about mold behind walls of buildings causing what is called sick building syndrome.

 

The charcoal cannister recirculates some of the exhaust and gas fumes out and under the car. On the later cars (85.5+) i know there is a line that routes underneath the drivers side rocker panel. Take the fender off and you may find the braided lines are split in two at the bend where they connect to the top of the cannister (was like this on my friends early '85), if they are then fumes are leaking out of this area and will defenetley get into the cabin (the charcoal cannister and those lines run right infront / next to the drivers position) causing some of your stink.

The lines are easy to replace if that is the problem.

 

I'll have the porsche shop check the lines or whatever when I go to check the timing belt after the 2000 km retension time.

the foam tape is made for automotive and outdoor use and is water proof. I doubt this is a mold problem causing my headaches.

I will wash the interior of the car with carpet cleaner and vacuum it. but like I said the interior of the car doesn't stink. On my other car I had the same symptoms and after using hte CO detector I was positive it was CO.

I installed the foam tape yesterday and I didn't notice any improvements. I removed the rear spare tire tonight and used duct tape to tape off the one holes under the spare tire (for draining water) and also two tiny holes next to the drain tubes that were not blocked off.

 

did you check your shift boot? there is a rubber boot under the leather boot. The rubber boot is supposed to seal so that air from the engine bay doesn't enter the interior. If it is cracking and has holes in it, it will suck in air from the engine bay.

 

I will check that tomorrow. I know that on my 924 it was cracked and ripped up and I did feel air blowing on my hand while driving at higher speeds..... On the 924 it was not something that I coudl replace myself.....

my 944s shift boot (leather outer) is not ripped so I have not felt air blowing up but I'll remove the leather boot to check the seal underneath.

One other thing, it looks like my car has been in the crash in the past and I'm not sure if the driver door was replaced because the driver door sticks out a tiny bit from the body (not completely flush with the rear) so I"m not sure if it is airtight.

 

yah, check it out. Even if the leather is whole, the rubber boot underneath could be cracked. I doubt the leather itself would stop the CO fumes. If it did, then the factory wouldn't have put the rubber underneath.

 

why should there be CO fumes underneath the shifter in the first place? If it is cracked I'll get my shop to replace it but I don't want to start replacing everything if it is not necessary.

 

Leather is/was skin. Skin breathes.

You can have exhaust leaks from loose joints or a cracked pipe. That would easily produce CO near the shifter.